The clattering of hammering never ceased. Pedestrians carefully skirted the dangerous area marked off with white chalk and bearing the words "No Entry," taking a wide detour rather than daring to approach.
This was the southernmost edge of the Northwest Republic, where Black Rye Fortress stood. In the past, anyone traveling from the Gold Coin Federation to the Northwest Republic had to pass through this fortress built within a mountain valley. The fortress remained, but the mountain beside it had somehow tilted to one side, opening up a broad road that allowed people to bypass the fortress and head for Black Rye City north of it.
As for the fortress itself, it had been completely enclosed within a circle drawn in white chalk. All kinds of signs had been planted haphazardly within the circle, marked in various languages with warnings such as "Danger" and "Keep Away."
What was more, if someone who could not read tried to approach, they would feel increasingly panicked with every step they took toward the circle. The closer they got, the greater their panic became; only by turning around and leaving would they begin to feel better.
Without such measures, white chalk and warning signs alone truly would not have stopped those who were either crude or curious.
This was naturally Sui Xiong's handiwork. He was currently busy inside the fortress, planning to turn this once utterly unremarkable stronghold into a tourist attraction centered around the theme of a "fortress." Naturally, he could not let anyone disturb him.
And once it became an attraction, could it still serve as a fortress... ? If a knife was decorated beautifully, did that mean it could no longer kill?
Of course, Sui Xiong did not think this fortress would ever be needed again. The Northwest Republic might still